1. Strong, powerful, independent women who are the heroines of the story rather than the damsels-in-distress
That’s enough of a reason alone. But just in case… I have about 10 other reasons to watch it if you’re interested and they’re all relevant and important.
2. There is real affection between a woman and another woman that is not any sort of queer-baiting but is genuine love, trust, faith and compassion formed from a deep friendship
3. It teaches you many lessons in life that are still relevant in today’s paradigm. Specifically messages about love, forgiveness, vengeance and redemption. Often at times you are forced to see the most lovable characters in the show in a negative way and the most hatable characters in the show in a positive way. This is to understand the nature of humanity in a more in-depth way than before. After all, complications in a person’s personality is what makes them all the more dynamic and admirable, do they not? We all have evil and good in us. What matters though is which side of us we choose to feed. Many of the characters in this show teach you the significance of this in very intense ways
4. It teaches you all about balance and how opposites and polarities that seem completely contradicting work together to create the bigger picture to how life really is and what would happen if either side of the spectrum disappeared or didn’t exist
5. It is the best representation for LGBTQ in the 90’s/early 2000’s. Again, no queer-baiting for the sake of ratings. If the LGBTQ community tuned in, it’s because they found sincerity and value in it
6. One of the so-called “villains” in the show has a real story as to how they became the hard-hearted and psychotic person they are. This is specifically designed for the purpose of getting the audience to sympathise and maybe even empathise with them
7. There is an episode that deals with the sexual, physical and emotional abuse of one of the lead characters. This is done so cleverly that it doesn’t seem obvious, therefore isn’t offending or unbearable to watch, yet still stays true to the seriousness of the situation. It is your preference to choose to see it as rape or something else which I really respect about this episode and the show in general
8. I said LGBTQ is represented in the show. I want to focus specifically on the T part of it. In an episode there is a transgender/transsexual character that delivers the message of how hard it is to be yourself in a world that wants to see you in a different way. How your power and worth is taken away from you just because you’re not accepted for who you are. Many episodes carry this message but never more profoundly than this episode
9. It deals with family estrangement. Scenarios such as unwilled pregnancy and forced marriage. Parents that have disowned, neglected and abandoned you. Crises with jealousy and resentment from sibling rivalry. But most strongly, right from the very first episode, a mother’s deep shame because of the lead characters’ sinful actions of her past
10. One of the lead characters gets into a situation in an episode where she has to decide whether to fight in a just cause to protect and defend someone she loves or surrender and do nothing. This is a very strong and important message because often we feel there is no other option but to fight when someone we love is threatened and in danger. We are forced to realize that if we do fight, aren’t we becoming just like the person we feel we have to fight and prolonging the violence? And also realize what would become of us if we choose to do nothing at all and something bad happens to the person we love? Will we ever forgive ourselves for not defending them? Will we forever regret not acting out in violence in order to protect them from harm, or in the worst case, save their life?
I could go on and on but I will stop at 10 reasons otherwise this post is going to be incredibly long. Honestly though, this show has unbelievable writing and producing and acting that you can take so much from it. Almost every episode has a message or moral of some kind that is important and significant to know, understand and learn. There is no other show that I’ve seen that does this better, or really, at all. The character development and evolution for the lead and recurring characters dig deep inside and underneath your skin and hit your heart so hard. You are required and expected to see, hear, feel and know what is most important in life and how to deal with it. And furthermore, it is just incredibly entertaining and interesting. This is why Xena: Warrior Princess is timeless and is still relevant to watch in 2017.
I know this show looks its age – but it rises above. Watch Xena.
The Doctor Is Out 